Quenching device



R- A. GEHR ET AL QUENCHING DEVICE Jan. 5, 1954 Filed May 9, 1947Inventors Richard A. Gehr, Edmon 5. Freshwater;

Their Attorney.

Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

2,664,901 QUENCHING DEVICE Richard A. Gehr, Glenville, N. Y., and EdmonS.

Freshwater, Detroit, Mich.,, assignors to General Electric Company, acorporation of New York Application May 9, 1947, Serial No. 7 46,944

2 Claims. (01. 134 -105) Our invention relates to quenching devices,more particularly to devices for quenching a heated article as it ismoved from a heater such as a high frequency induction heater, and hasfor its object simple and reliable means for providing a cooling fluidfor quenching the article as it is moved through the quenching device.

More particularly, our invention relates to the 7 quenching of metallicarticles such as'steel artibe kept out of the high frequency heater soas to prevent coolin of the article while it is in the heater.

In carrying out our invention in one form, we provide a tube which ismounted in an upright position directly below the heater so that theheated articles may be dropped fromthe heater through the tube, orpassed continuously through the tube by suitable feeding means. Thecooling water is supplied to the tube at its lower end by conduit meanswhich directs the water upward under pressure so that the quenching tubeis filled with water even though the tube is open at its lower end, andthe water overflows from the top of the tube without coming into contactheater.-

For a more complete understanding of our invention, reference should behad to'the' accom;

panying drawing, Fig. 1 of which is a simplified view mainly in sectionof high frequency heating and quenching means embodying our inventionwiththez and in which the heated articles are dropped one by one throughthe quenchin device; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing ourinvention as applied to. acontinuous type ofhcater; Fig. 3 is asectional view taken along theline 3--3 of Fig. 2 looking in thedirection of the arrows, while Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing ourinvention as applied to the quenching of long shafts.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawing, in this form of our invention themetallic article I to be heated, which may be a cylindrical steel slugsuch as a wrist pin, is heated by means of a high frequency inductionheating coil 2 and then dropped by moving to the right'hand a suitablesliding support 3 .for the article I. The slidable support 3' restson a'suitable supporting plate 4 provided with an aperture 5 directly belowthe article I and slightly larger than the article, through whichaperture the article drops when the sliding support 3 is moved to oneside. I

In accordance with our invention, we provide a tubular duct member 6which is supported in a vertical position by the plate 4, which plateforms the top or cover of a tank 1 so that the tube is suspended fromthe plate 4 in the tank with the I upper end of the tube just below andin concentric relation with the aperture 5. A suitable cooling fluid,such as water, i fed into the tube at its lower end by means of twoconduits or pipes 8 and 9 which are connected to the tube at diametrically opposite points and extend at their points of junction with thetube at acute angles with the vertical. Water is supplied to theconduits 8 and 9 from a suitable pressure supply source by means ofpipes I0 and I I which extend downward through the cover 4 and areconnected respectively with the conduits. The pipes I0 and I I aresecured to the cover 4 so as to form supports for the tube 6. A crossbracket support I2 is provided near the upper end of the tubebetween thepipes and the tube.

Preferably as shown, the conduits 8 and 9 extend upward at an angle ofsubstantially thirty degrees with the vertical at their points ofconnection with the tube at its lower end whereby eachconduit suppliesto the tube a jet of water directed upward and inward at that angle withthe vertical toward the center line of the tube, the two jets engagingeach other at the center of the tube. The upwardly directed jetsproducea flow of water upward through the tube and out over'the top intothe tank. An overflow pipe I3 is provided for the tank in position tomaintain a water level. I4, as indicated, in the tank which is somewhatbelow but substantially as high as the upper end of the tube 6. Somewater will flow downward out of the lower end of thetube and thisdownward flow is restricted by reducing the: size of the pipe at itslower end as indicated by the reference numeral I5.

We have found that the water in the tank ofiers an appreciableresistanceto the downward flow of water through the tube due to the water pressureat the bottom. By means of suitable valves (not shown) in the supplypipes I0 and '1 H, the pressure and the amount of Water supplied can beregulated as desired to producea uniform flow of water upward throughthe tube and out over the top of thetube into the tank. This smooth,even overflow from the top of the pipe prevents splashing as thearticles I are dropped into it so that the water is prevented 1 fromcoming in contact with the top of the tank desired temperature thesupport 3 is moved to one side to drop the article into the quench tube6. Suitable conveyor means 16 may be provided for removing the articlesfrom the tank, the ar ticles being conveyed from the lower end of thetube 6 by means of a chute I! to the conveyor.

We have found that theupwardly n'u aving wa ter in the tube 6effectively quenches the article and condenses and carries away thesteam formed by the quenching. Splashing of' water is prevented by themovement and turbulence ofthe water at the top of the tube. By reason ofthe relatively large amount of water coming into contact with thearticles, a verythorough and quick quenching action is obtained. Thediameter of the tube is chosen with respectto the diameterof thearticles so as to provide an abundance of rapidly moving water, itsdiameter as shown being somewhat more than twice the dimeter of thearticle. of the supply conduits 8 and 9' are selected to provide anadequate water supply with sufficient pressure to maintain the desiredupward movement through the tube.

In the modified form of our invention shown in Fig; 2, the heatedarticles are fed downward continuously through a single turn heatingcoil or loop [3, the articles being stacked in end to end relation andthe lowermost article resting on. a feed cam 19 which may be'turnedcontinuously, as bya suitable motor (not shown) in. a counterclockwisedirection as indicated by the arrow. As the cam 19 turns, the stack ofarticles is feddownward gradually, and finally, when the radial face 20on the cam engages the lowermost article 2 this article is carried bythe cam toward the left hand into a chute 22. The lower end of the nextarticle then rests on the point 23 of the can'iwhich is uppermost. Thus,as the cam rotates, the articles are gradually fed downward, eacharticle being heated by the heating. coil and then quenched. The coil i8is hollow and is supplied with cooling water by means of pipes 24 and25- to which high frequency electric supply connections may be made.

When the tube is not immersed in water; as;

shown in Fig. 2', higher water supply pressures are required to maintainthe upward flow of: water through the tube 6 and a greater amount ofwater escapes from the lower end. of. the tube.

Preferably, in the form of our invention shown in Fig; 2, the tube 3 isprovided, as shown in Fig. 3, with four radial guide vanes 26, 2.1, 28'and. 29, which vanes are suitably secured, as by brazing, tothe innerwall of the tube and extend lengthwise thereof. The vanes are spacedapart atv their inner radial ends or edges to provide for free passageof the column of articles I while holding the articles in concentricrelation with thetube. Preferably, as shown, two diametrically oppositevanes 21 and 29' extend across the orifices of the conduits 8 and 9 sothat water is supplied to all four sections of the tube formed by. thevanes.

As shown in- Fig. 4, our quenching device may Likewise, the diametersalso be used in the quenching of long shafts or rods. In thisapplication. the shaft: 30,, which is upright, extends through acylindrical container 3| in concentric relation therewith and through anaperture 32 in the bottom of the container, the. Walls of the aperturefitting closely around the shaft to prevent the escape of water aroundthe shaft whileproviding for the desired freedom of axial movement ofthe shaft with respect to the container 3|. Water is fed into the bottomof the container 3| at suitable angles and pressure by'conduits 33 and34 thereby to provide jets directed upward toward the center line of thecontainer, the water flowing upward and out over the top of thecontainer. A suitable high frequency heating coil 35 is provided justabove the water level. In this form of our invention, relative movementbetween the shaft and the container 3| and heating coil may be obtainedby moving either the shaft or the heating and quenchingapparatus asdesired.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A quenching device comprising a tank for cooling fluid, a duct memberopen at each end mounted in an upright position in said tank, coolingfluid supply meansconnected to-the lower end of said member forsupplying cooling fluid to said member so as to produce a flow ofcooling fluid upward through: said member with overflow of cooling fluidfrom the top of said member,

overflow means for said tank for maintaining a level of cooling fluid insaid' tank' at least substantially immersing said tubular member, and

means for moving a heated article to be quenched in a downward directionthrough said duct mem- 2. A quenching device comprising a tank forcooling fluid provided with a cover having an aperture through whichheated articles may be dropped into the tank, a tubular member open ateach' end mounted in an upright position in said tank with its upper endbelow said aperture, conduit' means connected to the lower end of saidtubular member for supplying a plurality of up wardly directed jets ofcooling fluid to said member' thereby to produce a. flow of coolingfluid upward through said tubular member with overflow of cooling fluidfrom the top of said tubular member and consequent turbulence of thecooling fluid at the top of said tubular member to prevent' splashing'ofthe cooling fluid by heatedarticlesdroppedthrough said aperture into theupper end of said tubularmembenand overflow means for-said tank formaintaining alevel of cooling fluid in said tank at least substantiallyas high as the" upper end of said tubular member.

RICHARD. A. GEHR. EDMON S. FRESHWATER.

References. cues in. the file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date Re. 20,673 Meyers Mar. 15,1938 1,521,390 Reynolds Dec.30, 1924 1,580,723 Hap'good Apr. 13, 1926' 2,141,382 Ferm Dec. 27-, 19382,191,255 Bonotto Feb. 20, 1940 2,301,601 Wittwer Nov. 10, 1942 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 441,444 Great Britain Jan. 20, 1936

